Most states have laws against aiding a suicide or assisted suicide. These laws are usually found in the state’s statutes, and sometimes in the state’s court opinions or case law (common law). The severity level of these crimes range from misdemeanors to felonies.
In Washington state, assisted suicide is legal under certain circumstances through the Washington Death with Dignity Act, which was enacted in 2009. This law allows terminally ill adults who are residents of Washington and have been determined to have six months or less to live to request lethal doses of medication from their physician for the purpose of ending their lives. The process is strictly regulated and requires multiple requests, including a written request, two oral requests, and a waiting period. The physician must also confirm the patient's diagnosis, prognosis, and competency, and a second physician must concur. It is important to note that while the Death with Dignity Act provides a legal framework for assisted suicide in specific circumstances, aiding a suicide outside of these parameters remains illegal and could be subject to criminal prosecution. The act explicitly states that actions taken in accordance with it do not, for any purpose, constitute suicide, assisted suicide, mercy killing, or homicide under the law.